There are many things in your home that are out of sight, out of mind and you don’t think about them until a problem arises. Insulation is one example of this! If your energy bills have been on the rise without usage increase, you may need more home insulation. The attic is an obvious place to start, but did you know you can also insulate floors, subfloors and crawl spaces?
Should I Insulate Under My Floor?
Floors above cold spaces—like vented crawl spaces and unheated garages—should be insulated, but don’t forget about under the flooring. This will help ensure maximum energy efficiency for your home.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, it’s ideal to insulate:
- Slab floors built directly on the ground
- Foundation walls of unvented crawl spaces (as an alternative to floor insulation)
An insulated slab is easy to heat, and placing the mass of the slab in your house’s thermal envelope helps keep interior temperatures comfortable. Most slab insulation is done during home construction. While insulating a slab in an existing home can be more expensive and a bit more invasive, it is possible to dig around the perimeter of the house and install insulation, typically foam board. Insulating the exterior edge of a slab can reduce heating bills by 10 to 20 percent in many homes! Foam-in-place insulation can also be blown under floors to help insulate and reduce air leakage.
It’s a good idea to install an air barrier—caulk, foam sealant, etc.—to help prevent cold air in the garage from “short circuiting” the insulation under the subfloor as well.
Underfloor Insulation in Boise
If you’re located in Boise or a surrounding area, call the team at Big City Insulation of Idaho. We offer high-quality floor and underfloor insulation options and have experience with new construction and retrofit projects of all kinds. Contact us today to learn more!
